A number of people are organizing in support of the VA’s attempt to improve its facilities for veteran services by moving a clinic from an inadequate space at 2nd and Ringo to a long-abandoned car dealership at 10th and Main. Mayor Mark Stodola and Republican U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin have pulled out every trick to stop the move, without offering a viable alternative.

The Little Rock City Board, which meets tonight at 6, will consider a hurryup ordinance written specifically to create a procedural roadblock to the VA’s use of the Main Street building. A legal fight is sure to ensue if it passes. For one thing, the owner already has placed a community welfare agency serving veterans with brain injuries in the building. The building is now in use as a welfare center, which current zoning allows by right. The owner will argue the city can’t retroactively bar that use without doing the same to any number of other facilities covered by the new ordinance, which also attempts to place some limits on small stores selling beer. The beer measure is a long-sought project of black board members with complaints about problem alcohol sellers. Their wishes were ignored until the vets came along and an “emergency” was declared.

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A vigil in behalf of veterans is set outside City Hall at 5:15. Demonstrators will also be there in support of continued city tolerance for the Occupy Little Rock camp between 4th and Capitol along the I-30 access road. Earlier today, at 2:30 p.m. at 10th and Main, a group of veterans including the father of a soldier killed in Afghanistan, plan to demonstrate in support of the vets center.

Herb Rule, a Democratic candidate for 2nd District Congress who spoke in favor of the vets center before the City Board a month ago when he was not yet a candidate, has urged the city board today on Twitter not to pass the ordinance. He Tweeted: “Give vets respect they deserve. Beat discriminatory ordinance. Let prop owners talk 2 neighbors 2 make right “

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Downtown resident Robert Johnston, like Rule a veteran and former state legislator, also has urged defeat of the attempt to shut out the vets center. He provided a list of persuasive talking points. See them on the jump, along with a letter from Arkansas Community Organizations. First, Johnston:

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